Bonding ideas pleeease !

cirilo · May 17, 2015

hi guys Im new here. just 2 weeks and a half ago I got my beautiful guinea pig from the pet shop (he is 2 month n a half)
He has become a bit less shy and scared near my husband and I, like we live in a tiny apartment and is always one of us here at least so we let the pig outside his cage for the most of the day OBS always keeping an eye on the little one. He knows my voice, knows when i come home from work ,and when i bring him food bags from the shop, he knows his name im quite sure, and he does link my hand and let us both touch him a bit BUT BUT BUT thats all the only way he stays on my lap is if there is some food involve,i know he like me i guess cos when i walk around he follows me around, I just wanna cuddle him!!! everytime i try to grab him he runs or even when i try to touch him is the same. is 2 weeks to soon? how long should it be?

Fay · May 18, 2015

Welcome to the forums! A lot of guinea pigs just aren't very cuddly. One of mine did sort of like it for a little while but then would get restless while the others just didn't want any cuddling at all. I see them more as pets to look at and enjoy their antics where as cats and dogs are the cuddly type of pets. Some do like cuddling, but it's less common.

As for grabbing him, guinea pigs are prey animals so their instinct is to run when a big scary human tries to pick them up. Some pigs will let you pick them up in time but others will always be skittish. Coaxing him with vegetables might help him learn to trust you.

I would say, give it time, he might end up becoming more cuddly and less skittish or he might not. I would also suggest adopting him a friend, guinea pigs are social herd animals and feel more secure and happy with another of their kind, a human can't replace that bond.

If you do get him a friend, please don't buy one from the pet store it supports breeding mills where guinea pigs are mistreated. You can find guinea pigs up for adoption at rescues and such.

Some information on guinea pig behaviour and their social life:

https://guinea-pigs.livejournal.com/2982433.html
https://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm

And I'd recommend reading this general care/medical information website if you haven't already:

https://www.guinealynx.info/healthycavy.html
https://www.guinealynx.info/medical_guide.html

Good luck and I would love to see some pigtures of him

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Bonding ideas pleeease !

cirilo

New Member

Fay

Well-known Member

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